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KENNETH Hansen scored an 18-point maximum as Workington defeated Redcar 56-34 at Derwent Park on Saturday.The victory ensured a seventh-place finish in the Premier League for the Comets, who just missed out on the play-off positions.Lasse Bjerre and guest Thomas Jorgensen both scored 11 for the Bears, who finish the season with the wooden spoon.
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SHEFFIELD co-promoter Damien Bates insists an aggregate win is not out of their reach as they head to Newcastle for the second leg of their Premier League play-off quarter-final on Sunday.The Tigers need to defend a slender six-point lead in order to keep their title dreams alive but will be without key duo Josh Bates and Dimitri Berge due to the final round of the World Unde-21 Championship, which has also ruled out Diamonds’ star Robert Lambert.And Sheffield also have top two Simon Stead and Jason Garrity also still sidelined through injury.Said Bates: “We’ve had a couple of heavy defeats at Newcastle, but we’ve also won there in the past so we know we can do it.“We’re missing a lot of riders which isn’t ideal, but Ricky Wells, Lewis Kerr and Robert Branford can all go fantastically around there.“We’ve worked hard to get guests who are capable of getting the job done for us if they are at their best, and I really believe we’ve got every chance of getting within six points like we need to.” (SPEEDWAY 3)
GLASGOW star Aaron Summers insists the Tigers' "fantastic" fans can help deliver a knockout blow to Somerset on Sunday.The Australian has called on the Ashfield faithful to be the side's seventh man in the KO Cup semi-final second leg.The Tigers will defend a four-point lead with just six riders as Nike Lunna is still out with injury, as they look to reach the Final for the first time in five years.Summers said: “It's our biggest meeting so far, there's no doubt about that. Somerset are a good team and they beat us the last time here with guest Dan Bewley's help.“But our boys are in great form and I think we can prove that we're a top team on Sunday.“We will miss Nike as he's been performing well recently, so we'll definitely need the fans' backing to help get us over the line.“I'm confident, though, and I think I'm producing some of my best racing all season - we're in for a great match.”Somerset boss Garry May said: “Although the initial diagnosis of Bradley’s (Wilson-Dean) broken collar-bone is that he will be out for the remainder of the season, he is hoping to undertake some intensive treatment on it with the aim of trying to make a return before the season is out.“On the positive, though, we will have Jake Allen restored to the side after his spell out due to concussion, and although Jake has never previously ridden at Glasgow he has already showed on a number of occasions this year that he is a quick learner!“Despite the fact we are four points down going into the second leg it just means that we have to go to there and take the win, just as we did in the league, so this tie is far from over!”
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BIRMINGHAM head to Buxton on Sunday for their penultimate regular Travel Plus National League fixture.The Brummies will be looking to keep their momentum going against the Hitmen ahead of their play-off semi-final with Cradley at Perry Barr on Thursday.Birmingham boss Graham Drury wants to see a professional display from his side who have drafted in Luke Priest to guest in place of injured No. 1 Zach Wajtknecht.Said Drury: “It's another chance for our riders to score some points and we want another win.“Buxton had a good win against Eastbourne last time out though so they'll be looking to get what would be another high profile victory themselves.“We want to keep the confidence going and there's no better way to do that than by registering another win.”(FIXTURES)
SUNDAY OCTOBER 2:PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF Q/F 2nd leg: Newcastle v Sheffield 6.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP S/F 2nd leg: Glasgow v Somerset 3pmTRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE: Buxton v Birmingham 3pm
MONDAY OCTOBER 3:ELITE LEAGUE GRAND FINAL 1st leg: Wolverhampton v Belle Vue 7.30
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5:ELITE LEAGUE GRAND FINAL 2nd leg: Belle Vue v Wolverhampton 7.30
